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Councils' investment in money advice reaps benefits for citizens

Local authority investment in money and welfare rights advice provision reaps significant benefits for citizens with every £1 invested providing financial gains of £21-24 for clients, according to a new report.

The Common Advice Performance Management Reporting Framework overview report summarises the contribution made by money and welfare rights advice services funded by local authorities and delivered on an inhouse or external basis.

The key findings in the 2017-18 report are:

94,336 new service users accessed money and welfare rights advice.

60% of service clients initially made contact face-to-face, followed by 32% who made contact via telephone, 7% via email, and 1% via the web. Relative to the previous year, this represents a reduction in initial access by face to face and an increase in telephone.

Investment by local authorities in money and welfare rights money advice services was £25.76m.

85 external and 32 internal money and welfare rights advice services received funding from local authorities.

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